Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta (PPARδ) is a nuclear receptor that is capable of regulating mitochondria biosynthesis. As shown in PCT/US2014/033088 (incorporated herein by reference), modulating the activity of PPARδ is useful for the treatment of diseases, developmental delays, and symptoms related to mitochondrial dysfunction, such as Alpers's Disease, MERRF-Myoclonic epilepsy and ragged-red fiber disease, Pearson Syndrome, and the like. Modulation PPARδ activity is effective in the treatment of other conditions, such as muscular diseases, demyelinating diseases, vascular diseases, and metabolic diseases. Indeed, PPARδ is an important biological target for compounds used to help treat and prevent mitochondrial diseases, muscle-related diseases and disorders, and other related conditions.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for novel compounds capable of effectively and reliably activating PPARδ in vitro and in vivo. There is also a need for PPARδ activating compounds with improved pharmacokinetic properties and improved metabolic stability. The present invention addresses these and other such needs.